Adjustable lingerie buckle



March 31, 1942.

Filed June 22, 1940 I ATTORNEY v Patented Mar. 31, 1942 UETED STTES P TENT 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to wearing anparel and has particular reference to a novel ad justable lingerie buckle designed for economical locking attachment to a lingerie strap or the like.

The present application is an improvement and modification of my Patent No. 2,133,153, issued October 11, 1938, entitled Lingerie buckle.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a novel buckle construction particularly designed for womens apparel, and suitable for either hand or machine locking, which will permit an easy adjustment of the strap without the necessity for using two sliding type buckles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a buckle construction which may be readily attached to a tape or the like without manually threading the tape through the buckle and which may .be either freely slidable or fixed in place.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simplified buckle construction which eliminates the need for sewing,

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel buckle which will readily provide adjustment on the lingerie strap without sliding but which is locked to the strap so that it cannot be lost. v

With the above and other objects and advan tageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspectiVe view of a buckle embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an alternative form of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a second alternative form;

Fig. 3a is an enlarged detail view of a modified construction of the buckle shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a third alternative form of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a fourth form;

Fig. 5a is an enlarged detail View of a modified construction of the buckle shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a fifth form;

Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive are detail views of varbars 23 and 2 and parallel to the cross bars 23 and 24 and is eliminate the use of an idler buckle or loop and which eliminates the necessity of sliding the buckle up and down to lengthen or shorten the lingerie strap. I have therefore devised a buckle construction which consists of an improvement of my buckle shown in the patent hereinabove referred to and which may be assembled by hand or machine, the buckle parts being so designed that the assembling operation locks the buckle to the tape so that it cannot fall away from the tape and be lost. Furthermore, by the use of the buckles of the present invention, adjustments may be readily made without the sliding of the buckle and the tape will remain at the adjusted length until manually released from the buckle.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the novel buckle 20 is preferably integrally stamped from sheet metal stock, and comprises sides 2i and 22 held together by the cross A center bar 25 extends between preferably split in the center, as at 26. The ends of the buckle, 21 and 28, each comprises spaced bars in alignment with each other and parellel to the center and cross bars 23, 24 and 25, the spacing 29 being preferably midway between the sides.

The above described construction therefore divides a rectangular buckle into a plurality of transverse sections, the outer periphery being broken in two places, and one of the center bars being split in order to permit insertion of a ribbon into the central sections. In use, the center bar portion 25 is raised into the dotted position shown in Fig. 1 either by hand or machine, and a ribbon 30 is laid across the buckle, the center bar being then returned to closed position. If desired, the ribbon 30 may be pinched at the point 26 between the segments of the center bar 25 to lock the buckle along the length of the ribbon. In this position the ribbon extends below the center bar and is threaded through the spaces 3! and 32 formed by the cross bars 23 and 24 which are parellel to and spaced from the center bar. 'I'he'ribbon can then be threaded into the outer section 33 and 34 by hand, by sliding the ribbon through the spaces 29 in the end walls 21 and 28. If the wearer desires to take up and shorten the ribbon or the lingerie strap 30, it is merely necessary to slide the ribbon from the outer section 34 between the gap 29 and the other end of the ribbon from the outer section 33 in a similar manner and twist the buckle so that the ribbon gradually winds upon the cross bar 23 and 24. The unwinding of the ribbon will of course lengthen the strap. At each turn of the buckle the ribbon must be slipped into the spacaes 29 and into the adjacent outer section 33 or 3 With the above described construction and operation, the conventional idler loop buckle is unnecessary and it is not necessary to slide the buckle up and down in order to lengthen or shorten the lingerie strap. By merely winding the buckle in a fixed position the strap may be adjusted. Furthermore, if it is desired to wash the strap and it is unwound to its full length, the center split bar 25 will retain the buckle upon the strap so that it will not fallout during the washing operation. By sliding the strap loosely under the center bar, the wearer can place the buckle in any position along the length of the strap, but the manufacturer can fix the buckle in position by pinching the strap between the portions of the center bar, at 25, as hereinabove described.

Inasmuch as the essential feature of the present invention is the division of the buckle into a plurality of adjacent sections and the provision for an opening in the outer section for winding the ribbon on the inner section through which the ribbon is looped, it is possible to vary the center bar 25 and the gap 29 to suit the requirements for different designs and for different types of buckles.

For example, in the modification shown in Fig. 2, the buckle is provided with a center bar portion 28 identical with the bar portion 25 in the form shown in Fig. l and the cross bar portions 3'7. However, in this form the gap 28 is now shifted to the end of the buckle, as at 38, so that the ribbon can be slipped in from the side instead of from the front.

In the buckle shown in Fig. 3, the opening 39 is in a position similar to that of the opening 38 in the form shown in Fig. 2; however, the corners are rounded and the upper and lower ends 40 are provided with inwardly turned tips 4! which tend to retain the ribbon in place and prevent side slip. This form may be modified, as shown in Fig. Ed, by using a tip 42 in place of the tip 4! for a more positive holding action.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the gap is shifted to the end portion, as at 43. Where a round type of buckle is to be used, the form shown in Fig. 5 may be employed. This form has a center bar and cross bar section 412 similar to that shown in Fig. 1; however, the outer section comprises curved end portions 45 with the openings 46 to one side. This form may be further modified, as shown in Fig. 5a, by utilizing tips 41 on the end portions 45 which will more positively retain the ribbon in place.

With any of the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, it may be advantageous to use the center bar section shown in Fig. 6 as an alternative to that shown in Fig. 1. In this form, the center bar 48 is of solid construction and holds the buckle together. However, the cross bars 49 are split, as at 50, and are utilized in a manner similar to the cross bar 25 in Fig. 1.

The essential feature of the center construction, including the center bar and the cross bars require that the ribbon be threaded therethrough, the spaced bars providing the adjustment takeup. The splitting of the center bar may be accomplished in any desired manner and the form shown in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive may be used alternatively with any of the buckles shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. For example, the form shown in Fig. '7 shows a strip portion 5| in which the center bar is merely split straight across. Where no pinching is desired and the necessity of bending the center bar portion upwardly is to be eliminated, the form shown in Fig. 8 may be used in which the center bar is split and separated, as at 52, so that the ribbon may be slipped beneath the center bar in a manner similar to the insertion in the end portion through the gap 29. In Fig. 9, the cut 53 is made at an acute angle so that sharp edges 54 are provided which may be utilized to piercethe ribbon and lock it in place. In Fig. 10, the center bar is equipped with teeth 55 for a more positive gripping action. In the interlocking form shown in Fig. 11, the cut-out 56 may also be readily utilized for pinching the ribbon. In Fig. 12 the center bar is so positioned that it will interlock from the sides as at 51.

While the various center bar constructionaand outer peripheral opening constructions have been herein illustrated as applied to rectangular and round type buckles, it is obvious that these constructions may readily be applied to any shape or design of lingerie buckle.

It is further obvious that changes in the shape of the buckle, in the relative sizes of the parts, in the materials used for the buckle, and in the means for forming of the center buckle bar and for locking the center buckle bar to the tape, may be made to suit the requirements for different buckle designs without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a buckle construction, a frame comprising two spaced sides, two cross bars extending between said sides and dividing said frame into a central and two outer ribbon receiving sections, said outer sections each having additional cross bar means comprising an elongated bar portion extending from one side towards the other side and spaced therefrom to provide a ribbon receiving insertion, and said inner section having a split center bar extending between said sides intermediate the first cross bars.

2. In a buckle construction, a frame comprising two spaced sides, two cross bars extending between said sides and dividing said frame into a central and two outer ribbon receiving sections, said outer sections each having additional cross bar means comprising an elongated bar portion having an inturned end and extending from one side towards the other side and spaced therefrom to provide a ribbon opening insertion, and said inner section having a split center bar extending between said sides intermediate the first cross bars.

JOSEPH SI-IAULSON. 

